1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for holding a notepad and writing instrument that can be attached to various things, such as cart handles and refrigerators. Particularly, this invention relates to an attachable notepad and accessory holder that can be stored on a refrigerator at home and be removably attached to shopping cart handles while shopping.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is very common for people to use a list of some sort while grocery shopping. Some lists are well organized, others are hastily composed on the backs of envelopes or scrap paper. While shopping, many people also carry an assortment of other shopping tools such as a pen, a pocket calculator and coupons. While these shopping tools may be organized at home, using them at the store can become unmanageable, even a nuisance. Currently, shoppers have no flat, stable surface to write on and no way to review coupons easily while they shop. There is also currently no place to put all of these shopping tools where they can be easily seen and used while shopping. This causes problems because while shoppers are trying to juggle their shopping tools, their hands are not free to push their carts, manage children or reach for items on shelves.
Many inventions have been patented claiming to make shopping with carts more convenient. There is no evidence that any of these prior inventions have become commercially successful. Most of the prior inventions were designed to be permanently mounted on shopping carts, which interests neither store managers nor cart manufacturers due to their cost, nuisance and potential liability. Many of the prior inventions are no longer even feasible solutions to this problem as they were designed to fit only certain styles of carts which are now obsolete. Furthermore, several of the existing product designs are much too elaborate to be manufactured economically.
Present shopping tool organizers that can be carried into the store with shoppers include items such as the shopping organizer shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,058 (1985, G. Harris et al.). Harris discloses a shopping organizer that has a base with an open bin attached to a portion of the base. Both the base and the open bin have a clip attached to them for releasably retaining a plurality of sheets of paper. There is another clip located along one side of this organizer for releasably holding a cylindrical writing instrument. Clamps are secured to the under-surface of the base for releasably retaining the organizer on a complimentary-shaped support, such as a shopping cart handle. This organizer provides space for a shopping list, coupons, calculators and pens or pencils, and can also hold an abundance of paper. One drawback to this invention is that its spring clips attach securely only to certain types and sizes of cart handles, while it attaches only loosely to others. Another drawback is that this organizer appears awkward when being carried in and out of stores. Another drawback of this organizer is that a child cannot sit in the seat of the shopping cart while the organizer is attached to the cart handle because the organizer extends into the sitting area. Furthermore, this organizer has no functional use at home and is not easily stored anywhere when not in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,353 (1989, A. Krebs et al.) discloses a grocery shopper organizer that consists of a generally flat board adapted to support coupons and the like on the top surface of the board as well as other convenience accessories such as a shopping list, calculator, pen, etc. This organizer is mounted on the upper edge of any upright wall of a shopping cart by an open-bottom channel strip located on the bottom surface of the board near its front edge. The board acts as a counterweight which is pivoted downwardly to a convenient angle of use for the shopper. This board can be attached to a variety of locations on the shopping cart, but can be in the way regardless of where it is attached. If attached to the rear of the child seat area, it interferes with the use of the child seat area. If attached to the handle of the shopping cart, it protrudes into the aisle and can get in the shoppers' way. Another disadvantage of this invention is that items are not always securely attached to the top surface of the board and can fall off when being transported in and out of stores. Furthermore, this board is not conveniently stored at home when not in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,960 (1992, J. Schwietzer) discloses a grocery cart attachment that has a writing surface with a cart engaging clamp on one end and a foldable support pivotably attached to the underside of the other end. This attachment has a strip of magnetic tape on its underside so it can be mounted on a refrigerator at home. It also has a hole at the top of the writing surface, allowing the invention to be stored on a hook or nail. A drawback to this invention is that it too interferes with use of the child seat area of shopping carts. Also, this invention was designed for shopping carts that are now basically obsolete. Furthermore, items such as coupons and calculators cannot be secured to this invention easily.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,330 (1992, W. Haynes) discloses a shopping list holder that fastens to a vertical rod at the rear of a child seat on a standard shopping cart. This holder can be positioned at two distinct angles of repose merely by choosing how to fasten the holder to the vertical rod. This holder has a clip for holding a pen or pencil and also has magnets on it so it can be stored on a refrigerator or other metal surface at home. A drawback to this holder is that it too extends into the child seat area of the shopping cart, thereby making it difficult to use the child seat area of the shopping cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,609 (1995, S. Kirschner) discloses a shopping cart clipboard and coupon holder comprised of a center portion, a left portion and a coupon receiving portion. The center portion has an upper end and a lower end, each having a securement portion for attaching this device to a shopping cart. The left portion is hingedly attached to the left edge of the center portion. The left portion also has an upper securement portion for attaching to a shopping cart. A coupon-receiving portion is hingedly attached to the right edge of the center portion. The major drawback to this invention is that it attaches to the handle of the shopping cart and to the rear side of the child seat, thereby making it impossible to use the child seat area simultaneously with this invention. Additionally, this invention will only fit certain carts, depending on the distance between the handle and the rear side of the child seat. Furthermore, this invention is not easily stored anywhere at home when not in use.
What is needed is a shopping organizer that can be easily, firmly and removably secured to the handle of any modern shopping cart. What is also needed is a shopping organizer that can be mounted on shopping cart handles at any angle that the user desires. What is further needed is a shopping organizer that will not interfere with groceries in carts, children in the child seat area of the cart, nor with other carts in the aisles of the store. What is still further needed is a shopping organizer that will be inconspicuous when being carried to and from stores. What is yet further needed is a shopping organizer that can be magnetically attached to refrigerator doors or other metal surfaces for convenient planning use and storage at home. Finally, what is needed is a shopping organizer that is compact.